Setup Prerequisites - Rafay Product Documentation

Prerequisites

What Will You Do

In this section, you will perform a one-time configuration of a GitOps pipeline to enable System Sync to communicate with a Git repository.

Create a GitOps Agent
Create a Secret Sealer
Create a Git repository
Create a GitOps pipeline to enable System Sync

Once this part is complete, in subsequent parts, you will use 2-way GitOps (i.e. System Sync) to sync bidirectionally, from System to Git and then from Git to System.

Step 1: Create Project

We must first create a project in the console. The project will contain all of the resources created in this guide.

Ensure you are logged into the console
From the home screen, click New Project
Enter the name em-gs
Click Create

Step 2: Create GitOps Agent

We must first create a GitOps Agent that will allow the pipeline to access your Git repository. The agent will run on your laptop via Docker.

Ensure you are logged into the console
In your project, navigate to GitOps -> GitOps Agents
Click on New Agent
Enter the name em-gs
Select Docker for the Deployment Type
Click Create
Follow steps 1 and 2 in the Progress Tracker page to download the agent files and run the agent in docker

This will create an agent on your laptop. The agent will be used to communicate with the Git repository. It will take a few minutes for the agent to be deployed and become healthy.

Step 3: Create Repository

Next, we will create a repository in GitHub. This repository will be used by System Sync to store the configuration files of the resources within the organization.

Ensure you are logged into your GitHub.com account
Navigate here to create a new repository
Enter a repository name
Change the repository to Private
Click Create Repository

This will create a new private repository in your Git system (e.g. GitHub). An example shown below.

Create a single readme file in the repository to initialize the repo

Step 4: Add Repository

In your project, navigate to Integrations -> Repositories
Click New Repository
Enter a name for the repository
Select Git for Type
Click Create
Provide the Git repo's Endpoint URL
Select Private Network for Reachability
Select the agent that was previously created
Under the Credentials section, select UserPassCredential for Type
Enter your Github username
Navigate to your GitHub Developer Settings to create a Personal Access Token for your Git repository
Click Generate new token -> Generate new token (classic)
Select the "repo" scope
Click Generate token
Copy the token that is presented on the screen
Paste the token in the "Password/Token" field of the create repository page in the console
Click Save

Note: It does not matter if your GitHub repo is public or private. If public, you do not need to provide access credentials.

Under Integrations -> Repositories, click on the validate button for your repository
If you see a validation successful message, the controller is able to access the repository

Step 5: Create Secret Sealer

In your project, navigate to Integrations -> Secret Sealers
Click Create Secret Sealer
Enter a friendly name
Click Create

Step 6: Create Pipeline

The GitOps pipeline will ensure that the resources in the system are "always kept reconciled" with the desired specifications in the Git repository. It will also ensure the Git repository is reconciled with the system if a change is made directly on the system.

We will now create a GitOps Pipeline.

In your project, navigate to GitOps -> Pipelines
Click New pipeline
Enter a friendly name
Click Create

Add Stage

A pipeline can have multiple stages, with completely different actions to model your desired workflows. In this exercise, we will test with a simple, single stage pipeline.

Under Stages, Click Add New Stage
Provide a name for the stage
For Action, select System Sync
Select Git to System Sync
Select the previously created repository
Enter main for the branch
Select System to Git Sync
Select Use Source As Destination
Under "Included Resources", click Add Resource and select the following resources
- Config Context
- Environment
- Environment Template
- Resource Template
- Workflow Handler
Click Save

Add Trigger

A pipeline can be executed based on an "external trigger". For example, changes to the manifests in your Git repository. In this exercise, we will configure a trigger that will receive a webhook notification when specific files in your Git repository are modified.

Click on the Triggers tab in the pipeline
Click Add New Trigger
Provide a name for the trigger
Select Webhook for type
Select the repository that we created previously
Select Github for Repository Type
Enter main for revision
Click Save

You will now be presented with the webhook configuration details that you need to copy/paste to your GitHub repository. Once you complete this step, the GitOps pipeline will be configured to receive webhook notifications whenever the repository is updated in Git.

Setup GitHub Webhook

Navigate to your GitHub repository -> Settings -> Webhooks
Click Add webhook
Copy and Paste the Payload URL and Secret from the previous step
Click Add webhook

Activate Pipeline

By default, newly created pipelines start life in a deactivated state.

In your project, navigate to GitOps -> Pipelines
Click the Activate Pipeline button
Click Yes to confirm activation

Step 7: Initial Sync

We will manually run the pipeline in order to sync the existing system resources to the GitHub repository. Note, only the resources that were included in the pipeline stage will be synced. In this case, only cluster resources will be synced.

In your project, navigate to GitOps -> Pipelines
Click on the previously created pipeline
Click Run
Navigate to your GitHub Repository

We can see that a project folder has been created in the Git repository by the pipeline.

Recap

In this part, you successfully configured a GitOps pipeline to enable 2-way GitOps Sync between Rafay and your Git repository. You are now ready to move to subsequent parts of the exercise.